Load properties file in Servlet/JSP

Question

I've created a jar from my Java project and wanted to use the same jar in a JSP Servlet Project. I'm trying to load a property file let say sample.properties from my JSP Servlet Project kept in WEB/properties/sample.properties which should be read by a class in the jar.I'm using the following code wriiten in a class of jar to access it.

Properties prop=new Properties();
prop.load(/WEB-INF/properties/sample.properties);

But each time I'm getting fileNotFound exception.
Please suggest me the solution.

Here is the structure

WEB-INF
      |
       lib
          |
           myproject.jar
                       |
                        myclass (This class needs to read sample.properties)
      |
       properties
                 |sample.properties

check http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2161054/where-to-place-configuration-properties-files-in-a-jsp-servlet-web-application — Rahul Agrawal, Sep 20 '12 at 08:26

score 21 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

The /WEB-INF folder is not part of the classpath. So any answer here which is thoughtless suggesting ClassLoader#getResourceAsStream() will never work. It would only work if the properties file is placed in /WEB-INF/classes which is indeed part of the classpath (in an IDE like Eclipse, just placing it in Java source folder root ought to be sufficient).

Provided that the properties file is really there where you'd like to keep it, then you should be getting it as web content resource by ServletContext#getResourceAsStream() instead.

Assuming that you're inside a HttpServlet, this should do:

properties.load(getServletContext().getResourceAsStream("/WEB-INF/properties/sample.properties"));

(the getServletContext() is inherited from the servlet superclass, you don't need to implement it yourself; so the code is as-is)

But if the class is by itself not a HttpServlet at all, then you'd really need to move the properties file into the classpath.

All good answers - devil's advocate through; if you're planning on storing sensitive info in said properties file (e.g. API username / password / secret key etc..) then it probably shouldn't be in your code base; as then it will be under version control - which is just another way for folks to get a hold of your info; in this case store it outside of your document root — Reece, Sep 29 '21 at 16:00

score 6 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 21 '12 at 02:19

6

Try to put sample.properties under src folder, and then

Properties prop = new Properties();
prop.load(Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("myprop.properties"));

edited Sep 21 '12 at 02:19

BalusC

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answered Sep 20 '12 at 06:22

hetaoblog

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score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 20 '12 at 06:27

Move your properties files under WEB-INF/classes. Then load it as following:

prop.load(getClass().getResourceAsStream("sample.properties"));

You can put it into sub-directory under classes as well. In this case change the call to getResourceAsStream() accordingly.

To be safer in multi-classloader system you can use Thread.getContextClassLoader().getResourceAsStream() instead.

To make the properties file to arrive to classes folder of your war file you have to put it under resources folder in your project (if you are using maven) or just under src folder if you do not use maven-like directory structure.

I did it by using `InputStream inStream = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("../properties/DBDetails.properties"); prop.load(inStream)` — bitsbuffer, Sep 20 '12 at 11:58

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 20 '12 at 06:23

1

Try this,

 InputStream inStream = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader()
                     .getResourceAsStream("/WEB-INF/properties/sample.properties");

Then, load(InputStream) it into a Properties object:

Properties props = new Properties();
props.load(inStream);

answered Sep 20 '12 at 06:23

Edward

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I tried this,but it didn't work.It throws the same exception. – bitsbuffer Sep 20 '12 at 06:35
shouldn't it be `WEB-INF/properties/sample.properties` instead of `/WEB-INF/properties/sample.properties`? – Bharat Sinha Sep 20 '12 at 06:56
add your properties file in the jar file from where you are trying to access the file,i.e. project which is in jar file.Or place the sample.properties in C:/D: or somewhere else and give full path eg C:/sample.properties. – Edward Sep 20 '12 at 07:00

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 21 '12 at 06:50

it may not work If you are try to load the properties from jsp/servlet. Write a utility class to read properties and package along with jar file. copy the properties file into same package as of utility.

 Class Utility{
    Properties properties=null;
    public void load() throws IOException{
        properties.load(getClass().getResourceAsStream("sample.properties"));
    }
    public Object get(String key) throws IOException{
        if (properties==null){
            load();
        }
        return properties.get(key); 
    }
  }

Now use this utility class from servlet to read the property values. May be you can define the class as singleton for better practice

Cheers Satheesh

Load properties file in Servlet/JSP

5 Answers5

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